Live Review: Beaches, Little Ugly Girls, Laura Jean, Pikelet, Minimum Chips, The Backstabbers

Celebrating the 22nd birthday of local record label Chapter Music, Chapterfest is a celebration of the special community the label has created in Melbourne. Being the early afternoon, it’s very relaxed with everyone from pre-schoolers to pensioners in attendance.

The perfect accompaniment to the pitter-pattering of rain on a dreary early Saturday afternoon, The Backstabbers set an incredibly high standard for the rest of the bill with their ethereal, ominous lyrics and harmonies. The keys-driven Minimum Chips are up next with an enjoyable set of dark, insouciant, indie-pop tunes. The various members rotate their instruments across dreamy, Doors-esque jams, showcasing their impressive virtuosity and flexibility.

Intoxicating synth-poppers Pikelet (aka Evelyn Morris and co) follow and the mood saliently picks up. Like the curious vocal effects and loops used by Morris throughout the set, there is definitely another layer to this performance that wasn’t there in those preceding this set. Pikelet blaze through a collection of old and new material.

Captivated by folk auteur Laura Jean’s gentle but fervent presence, the room stops and really pays attention. It comes as no surprise that earlier rainfall has since turned into sunshine as Jean’s poignant melodies and harmonies radiate warmth, happiness and strength. People sit down and listen intently, which evokes the setting of a national park more than it does a car park, defying the industrial, CBD location of Melbourne Music Week’s live music hub. Jean tears down emotional barriers with her moving set, but then the vociferous grunge of noise punks Little Ugly Girls puts them straight back up. Enthralling the audience with their screeching music, energetic vigour and an aura as grungy as the band tees and ripped jeans they wear, the audience can’t help but get into it.

Coolness personified, psych-rock deities Beaches roll up with their sunglasses, don’t-care attitudes and pastel Fender Jaguars as the last act. They offer the crowd an effects-laden whirlwind of beautiful, melodic guitar noise. The smiles and relaxed nature of these women is infectious and Beaches snatch ‘set of the day’ right from right underneath Jean with their luminous, psychedelic grooves.